1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector shutter which opens and closes the mating recess of a connector.
2. Related Applications
Priority is claimed to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-028600 filed on Feb. 5, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
3. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in order to connect external devices to electronic devices such as notebook-type personal computers, connectors that mate with each other are respectively disposed on these electronic devices and external devices. Furthermore, in the case of electronic devices such as notebook-type computers, there is a danger that foreign matter will enter the mating recess of the connector (used for mating of the mating connector) and adhere to the contacts of the connector in a state in which no external device is connected; accordingly, an anti-dust shutter which prevents invasion of the mating recess by such foreign matter is provided.
FIG. 11 shows a conventional example in which an anti-dust shutter is installed in the opening part of the housing of an electronic device (see Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. H7-45328).
In the example shown in FIG. 11, an internal connector 100 which is installed inside the housing 110 of the electronic device mates with an external connector 200 which is installed on the housing 210 of an external device. The external connector 200 has a substantially rectangular housing 201 that extends in the direction of length (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the plane of the page), and a mating part 202 is formed so that this mating part 202 protrudes from the housing 201.
The internal connector 100 located in the interior of the housing 110 of the electronic device has a substantially rectangular housing 101 that extends in the direction of length, and a mating part 102 that mates with the mating part 202 of the external connector 200 is disposed in this housing 101. Furthermore, an opening part 111 which extends in the direction of length, and which allows the insertion of the external connector 200, is formed in the housing 110 of the electronic device, and this opening part 111 can be opened and closed by anti-dust shutters 120 attached to the housing 110.
The anti-dust shutters 120 are disposed as a pair on both sides of the opening part 111. Each anti-dust shutter 120 comprises a base end part 121 which is fastened to the housing 110, a cover part 123 which is used to open and close the opening part 111, and a connecting part 122 which connects the base end part 121 and cover part 123. These parts are formed as an integral unit from an elastic material. The connecting part 122 is formed with a small thickness so that this connecting part 122 can easily be bent by an external force acting on the cover part 123; furthermore, the connecting part 122 has a cross-sectional shape that positions the cover part 123 in a state that closes the opening part 111 by means of elastic force in cases where no external force acts on the cover part 123. Moreover, the cover part 123 has a shape that extends in the direction of length in order to allow opening and closing of the opening part 111 extending in the direction of length.
Next, the action of the anti-dust shutters 120 may be described as follows: first, in the state shown in FIG. 11(A), the cover parts 123 of the anti-dust shutters 120 close the opening part 111 by virtue of the elastic force of the connecting parts 122. As a result, the entry of foreign matter into the interior from the opening part 111 is prevented. Then, when the mating connector 200 is inserted into the interior of the housing 110 of the electronic device via the opening part 111, the cover parts 123 of the anti-dust shutters 120 open as shown in FIG. 11(B), so that the mating part 202 of the mating connector 200 is mated and connected to the mating part 102 of the connector 100. In the opening action of the anti-dust shutters 120, the tip end of the mating part 202 of the mating connector 200 first contacts the tip ends of the cover parts 123 of the respective anti-dust shutters 120. Then, as the insertion of the mating connector 200 proceeds, the tip ends of the cover parts 123 are pushed and opened along the outer circumference of the mating part 202 and the outer circumference of the housing 201. Next, when the mating of the mating part 202 and mating part 102 is completed, the cover parts 123 maintain a state of contact with the outer circumference of the housing 201 of the mating connector 200 as shown in FIG. 11(B).
Furthermore, when the mating connector 200 is pulled out from the state of completed mating by an operation that is the reverse of that described above, the mated state of the mating parts 102 and 202 is released, and the cover parts 123 of the anti-dust shutters 120 close the opening part 111.
However, the following problems have been encountered in the conventional example shown in FIG. 11.
Specifically, the anti-dust shutters 120 must be disposed a considerable distance above the internal connector 100 in order to prevent the cover parts 123 from interfering with the internal connector 100 when the cover parts 123 of the anti-dust shutters 120 pivot. Thus, a large space is required between the internal connector 100 and the anti-dust shutters 120.